Advert for Sach's Oxford & Cambridge Restaurant & Hotel

Hotels were rather subdued places in the early 19th century. Only paying guests were allowed on the premises and these guests ate their meals alone in private parlours adjoining their rooms. The spread of the railways, and the consequent increase in the number of weekend visitors to cities and towns, revolutionised the hotel industry in Britain. Richly decorated communal dining rooms became fashionable; indeed they were one of the first places that men and women could dine publicly together without fear of opprobrium. By the end of the century, the bulk of hotels in Britain were fitted with the most modern technology such as electric lighting, rest rooms with running water and ensuite toilets.